1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laminated materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of fabricating laminated materials having decorative motifs and surface textures that are mechanically embossed in registration with the decorative motifs.
Because of their look and feel, traditional building and finishing materials, such as fine woods, slate, granite, stones, brick, and concrete are generally preferred by consumers. However, such materials tend to be expensive to produce and to install. For example, while a solid wood floor has a highly valued luxury appearance, in practice the required materials and labor required to install such floors can be prohibitively expensive.
There are many alternatives to traditional building and finishing materials, including laminate and high-pressure laminate boards (HPL). However, in general such alternatives do not possess the realistic look and texture of the traditional building and finishing materials. For example, most alternatives having an outer surface with a wood motif look fake, and thus can readily be identified as something other than traditional wood. Furthermore, while high quality laminate boards or HPL boards may visually look like a traditional wood, their textures readily reveal that they are not.
One problem with most of the alternatives to the traditional building and finishing materials is that their surface textures do not match their decorative motifs. For example, a visual depiction of a wood knot does not match the surface texture characteristics of a wood knot. This significantly reduces the attractiveness of the alternative to consumers.
One prior art approach to matching the surface texture of an alternative material to its decorative motif is chemical embossing. In chemical embossing, the surface texture of the alternative material is developed by chemically reacting an ink that forms the decorative motif with an agent added to a sub-surface layer. While somewhat successful, the resulting surface texture tends to lack the texture sharpness and three-dimensional characteristics of traditional materials.
Another alternative to the traditional building and finishing materials are DPL boards (direct-pressure laminates). However, this alternative does not produce a satisfactory result either.
Another method of forming a surface texture of an alternative material has been suggested, that method being a DPL board with mechanical embossing. This method is interesting because of the possibility of high texture sharpness and high-quality three-dimensional characteristics. However, mechanical embossing the surface texture to match the decorative motif such that the resulting product both looks and feels like a traditional building or finishing material (referred to hereinafter as embossed-in-registration) has been problematic because of the extreme difficulty of accurately registering mechanical embossment with the decorative motif. Furthermore, the difficulty of accurately maintaining an embossed-in-registration alignment during production has prevented mechanical embossed-in-registration systems from becoming a reality.
Accordingly, there is a need for a workable method of fabricating alternative building or finishing materials where the alternatives have the realistic look and feel of traditional products. A method of producing mechanically embossed-in-registration alternative products would be even more beneficial. More beneficial still would be a method of producing mechanically embossed-in-registration alternative products that is commercially viable.
The principles of the present invention provide for a method of fabricating alternative building and finishing materials that have decorative motifs and surface textures that are mechanically embossed in registration with the decorative motifs.
A method according to the principles of the present invention includes milling a reference edge on a board, and then locating a resin soaked paper having a decorative motif on that board using the reference edge such that the decorative motif has a predetermined position relative to the reference edge. Beneficially, the paper is adhered to the board using static electricity. The board and paper are then moved into a press machine and accurately positioned within the press machine, using the reference edge as a guide, such that the decorative motif assumes a predetermined position relative to a press plate having a predetermined temperature. The press machine is closed, and the hot press plate presses the paper into the board with a predetermined force for a predetermined period of time.
Beneficially, the resin and paper are carefully controlled as to dimensions and material composition. Beneficially, the paper is manufactured by one supplier, on one machine, using materials from the same supplier, and with careful attention to cellulose materials, spool winding directions and spool winding tensions. Beneficially, the resin is manufactured by one supplier, using one reaction vessel, using materials from the same source, and with careful attention to material mixing and solid content.
The press plate, which has a three-dimensional surface, is beneficially manufactured such that the press plate surface matches the decorative motif when the press plate is heated to its operating temperature.
In practice it is generally better to use a slow curing resin and lower press operating temperatures then in the prior art. This improves the quality of the final surface.
If the surface texture has a roughness sufficient to significantly disturb the pressure distribution across the paper and board during embossing, the board can be appropriately hollowed prior to embossing to even out the pressure distribution.